SLA operation in Jaffna blocked: LTTE

[TamilNet, Saturday, 24 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]The Sri Lankan army launched a large clearing operation from Eluthumadduvaal in the Thenmaradchi division of Jaffna to Nagar Kovil in Jaffna's south eastern coast yesterday.

The LTTE spokesman in Vadamaradchi east said that the army advanced upto Nagarkovil the same day and that when it attempted to advance further south along the coast into the Kudaarappu area, the Liberation Tigers blocked its onslaught there.

The army, according to these sources, had withdrawn after fierce fighting with the Liberation Tigers at Kudaarappu and had parked in Nagar Kovil, Kudaththanai and Amban on January 23 and January 24 occupying all the local schools in the area.

Transport to and from Vadamaradchi east was blocked due to the SLA operation yesterday and today.